Israel Linked to Deadly Pager Device Explosions in Lebanon, Resulting in 37 Deaths
Lebanon, 20th September 2024: Israel has been implicated in the production of pager devices that exploded in Lebanon, resulting in 37 fatalities and nearly 3,000 injuries. These devices, utilized by Hezbollah operatives, were reportedly modified during a covert operation intended to disrupt the group’s communications.
This operation, characterized as a “supply chain interdiction,” was reportedly in the works for over 15 years, according to U.S. intelligence sources cited by ABC News. It involved various layers of Israeli intelligence, including shell companies and assets operating under the guise of a legitimate enterprise to create the tampered pagers. Many participants were allegedly unaware of the true nature of their involvement.
The pagers detonated in multiple locations across Lebanon, including supermarkets, streets, and funerals. They were connected to a Hungary-based intermediary known as BAC Consulting, which has been identified as a front for Israeli interests. Despite having no operational or manufacturing facilities in Hungary, the company played a role in distributing the pagers, as confirmed by a Hungarian government spokesperson.
“This company was only a trading intermediary, and the pagers were never manufactured in Hungary,” the spokesperson clarified, attempting to dissociate Hungary from the devices.
The pagers were reportedly produced for Taiwanese company Gold Apollo, but the intricate modifications likely occurred earlier in the supply chain, potentially involving Israeli intelligence operatives. Preliminary findings from Lebanese investigators support this, indicating that the devices were rigged to explode before reaching Lebanon, triggered by emails sent to them.
An investigation revealed that “the targeted devices were professionally modified before arriving in Lebanon, and detonated via email,” as stated in a letter from Lebanon’s UN delegation. A source affiliated with Hezbollah suggested that the pagers had been “sabotaged at source” and had been imported recently.
The explosions coincided with escalated military confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon. Following an attack by Hamas on Israel from Gaza on October 7, Hezbollah has been involved in ongoing exchanges of fire with Israeli forces.
Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon continued, targeting Hezbollah’s rocket launchers and military infrastructure. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that they had struck numerous rocket launchers and barrels prepared for immediate deployment against Israel. An official IDF statement emphasized their commitment to degrading Hezbollah’s capabilities to defend Israel.
In a recent televised address, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to retaliate against Israel, labelling the events as a “massacre” and an “act of war.” He warned that Israel would face “severe retaliation and just punishment, both where it expects it and where it does not.”
